April Music Thread

[Wafflenose]

We've managed to fill up the March thread, so I give you April's, around 10 hours early. Don't use it all up at once!

The music threads are for learners of ALL ages and stages, including beginners and adult learners.

My kids Goo (11) and Rara (8) break up from school today, thank goodness. Rara is off sick at the moment, in any case, but they both need a break. They did their music exams this week. Goo got a distinction for her Grade 7 Flute, and we are awaiting the results of Rara's Grade 1 Clarinet, plus a couple of my pupils. They will probably come on my birthday - the ABRSM ones often do.

Next term, we have a big community concert at the local high school - all the feeder schools take part. Goo could do Grade 7 Recorder and/ or Grade 4 Piano, but I don't think she wants to. Rara is doing Grade 3 Cello. My Year 6 Recorders have been asked to play in the local Festival gala concert, and I'm sure there will be primary school leavers' performances too.

Finally got DD2's Grade 6 oboe result - distinction! She'd gone to bed by the time I saw it. She will be delighted in the morning!

Sorry, late post last night. I should, of course, have said DD1! And yes, she was delighted 😀 First thing she said was "Does that earn me back some brownie points?" after the whole sax-on-the-bus thing yesterday. Just proves to her that spending some more time on her scales actually has benefits, in spite of how boring they may be.

Fantastic news Double - worth the wait in the end!

Well done double's DD, definitely worth the wait!

Thanks for the reply regarding Trinity, definitely will investigate as dd is getting more and more reluctant to sing.

The singing back part is worth about 4/150. If they make any kind of noise they will get 1. If they clap it instead of singing, I think they would probably get 2. Nobody likes it, but I probably wouldn't change exam board for that reason only.

Or you can play it back on your instrument! I did this most of the way through my clarinet grades. They won't usually give the starting note though, so it's a harder option.

Super well done to miniDouble!

I didn't know the singing part is so unpopular. My DS is an odd one then as he actually enjoys the aural part in the exam. We didn't know playing back on the instruments was also allowed, which we found out after his last exam. DS is thinking to do so instead of singing back next time, especially on the violin he finds it's easier.

minidouble super result!

Kutik How did the new violin strings do?

Never They didn't need to be retuned during the session so it seemed settled fairly nicely. By the way we bought Dominant strings and also Pirastro rosin. They cost over £70 all together. I need to take DS's bow back for rehair again next week...

Geez the cost of a musical child.
T'was my bday yesterday. Had some with my two boys and they said I was a jolly good fellow Today I went for a run to feel younger.

Well done Double child with the distinction. My son's day helping others with music (A2) went well. He almost kept up both of economics and music to A2 but A levels would have been a bit much.

Dd sings well and in tune but is coming to the age when she finds it embarrassing. We'll see first we need to get these exams out of the way.

Just got a reminder that I need to tune the piano. £75. On top of the exams fees, lessons fees and wind band. It doesn't get cheaper does it? At least there is only one musical child in this house.

Fleur DS was not too keen on singing then he started in the school choir and suddenly he was singing in the shower and then he shocks us by getting full marks on the g7 aural just when his voice was breaking and he could not sing at all! So you never know... they change a lot!

Well done double

As dd isn't doing exams atm, thought I'd post latest...
Today she had her Jazz assessment, she said it was quite fluky and sounds like she did well.
The sight reading was something she knew well and the tune she's decided to play for the assessment
He then asked her to play a Charlie Parker piece she knows inside out.

I asked who the assessor was and she said "some dude from who knows Dad.
Everytime she has a masterclass or assessment they always know her Dad and she gets quite wound up, it's funny.

Happy birthday to yesterday's drummers

Fleur, that's the beauty of having an immature child! DS is not very aware of feeling 'embarrassed' yet! Oh and, I have also received a text from my piano tuner too... Everything happens at once always.

drummers, my DS sings all the time too. DH and I call him an 'opera singer' as he talks to us in a singing matter sometimes. I don't think he is a strong singer (definitely he is an instrumentalist more than a singer), but he just loves making noise ALL THE TIME.

DS used to hum while he was eating (yes, he was still making noise even when he was eating!). He did this since he was a baby. I remember when we had his friends for tea, I used to get a chorus as all his friends copied DS's humming while eating. I just realised I haven't heard his humming for a long time now. I don't remember when he stopped. But it was fanny.

Dd is in the choir and sings all the time, in the car, around the house, it is just the idea of singing in front of a stranger that puts her of. She does it but I would assume it is as quiet as a mouse. She's the one that refuses to do aural training with her clarinet teacher as she's "new" but she'll do it with the piano teacher. Even then though it takes a bit of insisting and encouragement. Sometimes bribe works as well with a bit of chocolate

matter = manner
fanny = funny

Well done to double's dd1!
Drummers: happy birthday, please tell me we are both 25!
Piano tunning: we havent had to do it yet, its a year now since we bought it last year (brand new) and I asked my teacher if it needs tuning then he said its ok(I cant tell). He also said it depends on how much do we use it, I could see that we wont need tuning for ...another year here as there isnt much practice happening in this house hold.
Someone is on school trip this week so we use the opportunity to go to the Kitaro Hammersmith concert tonight. I am much looking forward to a meal out only between us(me and my husband) as we havent done one for a very long time.

We are still considering adding chess club to our weekend, its another 4.5 hours every Saturday. My hysband says no because he wants more time with her during weekends(and family time) and he thinks we might fail to get any 11+ place without any studying, my heart says yes because she is good at it and should be given every opportunity she could have(she will be at intermediate level and have more chances on competitions etc.)

Green, our piano was delivered last October! The tuner said we should have tuning ever 6 months for the first couple of years. Once it's settled in the new environment, then it can be done once a year thereafter. I can't tell if it's out of tune so I just have to listen to the tuner (we are a very good customer for anyone who is trying to make money, I know).

God news here, DS just called after his Grade 8 Orchestral Percussion exam, got the result two hours later (Trinity), a Distinction with 95%. All he said is he forgot a repeat in a sight-reading. I said who cares!!

Well done to your ds drummers that's a great result.

Kutik How can you say that singing isn't being an instrumentalist, the voice is an instrument.

Happy Birthday drummers I haven't been keeping up with thread recently.

drummers, he is a star!!!

gilly, sorry me being ignorant! I just wanted to say DS seems more natural with 'playing' instruments (piano/violin) than 'singing'. But again, it may be another example of me being ignorant. He may be a good singer!

Drummers that is a truly amazing result! And so lovely he got the result so quickly. You must be so proud of him! What does he plan to do next? Is there a diploma or will he concentrate on piano for now?
Happy birthday for yesterday!